Monthly Archives: July 2021

Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

Category : Entrees , Recipes , Soups

Roasted Tomato Soup

Roasted Tomato Soup

Servings: Approx: 8 cups
Seving Size: 
2 cups
Prep Time: 
30 minutes
Cooking Time: 
45 minutes

*I use all organic ingredients for flavor as well as for health!

INGREDIENTS:
4 large tomatoes, cut into large pieces
3 medium red bell peppers, cut into large pieces
1 medium onion, cut into large wedges
3 cloves of garlic
4 ounces uncooked penna pasta, (2 cups cooked)
1 cup green beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
(or you may use broccoli, chopped).
1 cup (2 medium) carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup frozen green peas
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped.
1 teaspoon Redmond’s Sea Salt
dash freshly ground black pepper
1 can unsweetened, unflavored coconut milk or
other plant milk.*
*(Optional: use 1 cup milk and 1 cup water.)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with
parchement paper.
2. Chop veggies and place tomatoes, bell peppers, onion,
and garlic on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add pasta,
green beans, peas and carrots. Cook according to pasta’s
package instruction. Drain pasta and vegetables. Set aside.

Making It:
4. When the roasted vegetables are cooked, transfer them to
a blender. Add vinegar, oregano, salt, pepper, and parsley.
Blend into a smooth soup.
5. Transfer the blended soup to a pot and bring to a boil.
Add the milk, pasta, and veggies. Cook 3-4 minutes, until
soup is thoroughly heated.
6. Serve soup immediately.

**This recipe was revamped from the Forks Over Knoves. recipe.
I urge you to experiment to your own tastes and likings.
I sometimes just use tomatoes only, and I have mixed half milk
and half water instead of all milk. Subtitution and variety
are the beauty and wonder in a kitchen!!  It enhaunces the palate.

Enjoy!!
Marie


Tapping Into Our Brain’s Hidden Resources

Category : Diseases , News , References , Sleep

Hidden in the center of our brain just behind the thalamus, sits our pineal gland. The pineal gland regulates our body’s sleep-wake cycle and circadian regulation (our cycles of day and night) or hormone balance in each 24-hour period. It is triggered by darkness. Pineal activity is inhibited by light, which is detected by the eye’s retina and sent along a series of nerve connections to the gland.
This gland contains photoreceptors, just like your eyes, and is activated by the light that passes through your eyes. I found it quite interesting that the pineal cells in composition as well as in the presence of proteins, are not found anywhere else in the body! It is our light sensitive gland tucked deep within our brains. Darkness removes this inhibition, and the pineal then releases its sleep hormone, melatonin. Melatonin is produced by the gland in the first three hours of sleep. As the light decreases, the pineal secretes more melatonin, which carries out the responses of the cycles of sleep and wakefulness. The amount of circulating melatonin rises at night, in dark conditions, creating a daily rhythm of rising and falling hormone levels. This is why sleeping in a very dark room is best for your health. Our natural melatonin reservoirs decrease through the aging process! As there are other factors inhibiting the natural production of melatonin; NSAIDS, large doses of vitamin B-12 especially the shots, caffeine, steroid drugs and alcohol consumption and of course stress. All the hormones in the body work together to keep our body unified in health. Supplementation of melatonin? Sometimes people can initially have vivid and weird dreams or morning drowsiness so start low, go slow. The one I like is a video called the Pineal Gland Activator;
link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h2mJnvRbZ8&feature=related
Light and motion! Play with it, what works best: on the length of time watching it, time of day, (I find later in the day is best for me). But I figure if the production may be decreasing then I will help it to increase, and it helps.